No matter how benefits-savvy your employees may be, today’s health care environment can confuse the most sophisticated consumer. That’s why companies large and small use BeneCom for their benefits communication. We know benefits and we understand what employees need to know to make them work – for themselves and for you. And while we’re at it, we make your life a little easier, too.

[Guidance Overview]
ERISA Long Term Disability Appeal Won Against Hartford
Excerpt: "The Hartford determined that she was disabled as of February of 2008 and began paying her benefits in July of 2008. In November of 2009, Hartford terminated her benefits claiming she was no longer disabled."
(Attorneys Dell & Schaefer)

[Guidance Overview]
Required Cafeteria Plan Amendments
Excerpt: "Internal Revenue Code Section 125 requires that a cafeteria plan be in writing and be adopted on or before the first day of the first plan year to which it relates. This applies to amendments to the plan as well. In proposed regulations issued in 2007, the IRS stated that if a cafeteria plan does not comply with applicable requirements regarding content and timing of adoption, then the plan is not a cafeteria plan and all employees' elections of non-taxable benefits are not effective."
(Fisher & Phillips LLP)

[Guidance Overview]
ERISA Plan Wins Recovery from Settlement; Auto Insurer Must Reimburse Member
Excerpt: "This is the first time we've seen a case where a federal district court ruled that a Michigan no-fault auto insurer now has to pay more than its maximum plan liability when a health plan subject to ERISA recovered a substantial portion of the tort settlement proceeds it paid."
(Passion for Subro)

Medical Errors in 2008 Cost the U.S. Almost $20 Billion
Excerpt: "These are just the quantifiable costs, including higher medical costs attributable to the errors, and costs associated with higher mortality rate and costs resulting from lost productivity . . . ."
(Wolters Kluwer)

[Opinion]
'Putting the Brakes on ObamaCare'
Excerpt: "The real wallop of ObamaCare will come in 2014, when most of the spending begins and businesses and individuals are hit with intrusive and expensive mandates. The main job of Republicans, should they capture Congress, will be to slow down implementation of the law and explain to the American people the damage it will do -- and already is doing -- to our economy. . . . Published in The Wall Street Journal, August 25, 2010."
(The Wall Street Journal via Galen Institute)

Copyright 2010 BenefitsLink.com, Inc.; except that you can
forward this email in full (including this boilerplate part) or
otherwise reprint this email in full (including this boilerplate
part) without obtaining our permission.